A Different Way to Live
by Digger Jonez
Summary: Natsu and Ultear meet each other when they're very young. After a while they start to question if they could ever live without each other... what if someone didn't want to give them a choice? NatsuXUltear. Rated M for language and Lemons.


A small five year old girl was running through the frozen wastes of her home region. Her feet were bear and her toes were left a bright unnatural red colour as they trudged through the unforgiving and unrelenting snow. Her only other source of warmth was a thin dress that did nothing to protect her from the cold winter chill.

Her name was Ultear.

Ur's tear.

Her body was littered with burn marks and scars from her years of torture that the organisation that captured her had had the audacity to call 'experimentation'.

But those years of torment and testing were nothing compared to the pain she was feeling now. The poor girl was heartbroken and alone.

Her one source of hope throughout her entrapment was the thought of returning to her mother. To see her welcome her home with open and warm arms. But that was not what she got.

After tracking her mother down after an almost two month long journey to find her she was devastated to find her raising two young boys. She felt replaced, abandoned and worst of all… forgotten.

She never spoke to the woman she saw, the woman she had been wanting to see for the past two years. The woman didn't even realise she was there.

Ultear realised at that second that she wasn't comfortable calling her, her mother, but instead 'The Woman'. This made her angry but she didn't know who her anger should be aimed at, her mind was wondering and for a while her mind was starting to lean towards hatred for her mother but before that thought could find a permanent foot hold in her mind she crashed.

She crashed into something that was moving just as fast as she had been running.

It was a person.

A young boy with tears rolling down his face and fear in his eyes.

"Go away!" The strange pink haired boy yelled at her, Ultear didn't feel angry that he yelled that at her because he was obviously just as broken as she was. She started tearing up. "Please I don't want to hurt you!" The young boy added.

This confused the young Ultear. Why would he say a thing like that?

"There he is!"

"Get the little shit!"

Cries from a mob of townsfolk could be heard as they chased after the young boy with pitch forks and torches at the ready.

Ultear turned to face the boy they were chasing. He had strange onyx black eyes. His clothes were no better than hers. He had a pair of ratty old shorts on and that was it. No shoes or a shirt. The boys' strangest feature was his mop of unruly pink hair that sprouted from his head.

Ultear couldn't look away from his hair, it was comforting and soothing but she couldn't explain why.

All she knew is that there was a boy in front of her who seemed to be in a similar situation to her.

"There's another child with him!" She heard on of the villagers yell. She noted that he was a fat man with woolly overalls. But his most disconcerting feature was his own mop of pink hair.

"She's probably the same as him!" Another villager called.

"Kill her too!" Was added by yet another member of the mob.

Ultear didn't move.

'_Death huh?' _She thought to herself. _'No more pain…'_ As she thought that she closed her eyes and waited for the cold embrace of nothing.

What she didn't expect was to find the hand of the boy they were chasing grab her wrist and start pulling her along at a run through the forest.

"I will not let someone get hurt because of me!" The boy shouted.

Ultear's face turned a pretty shade of pink at the touch which contrasted well with her raven black hair.

The two were running as fast as they could but they couldn't shake the gaining villagers. _'Whatever this boy did must have been pretty bad…' _Ultear thought to herself.

"What did you do?" Ultear cried over the rising winds which were throwing up a flurry of snow all around them.

After a few seconds of silence the boy answered. "I exploded." He answered. This confused Ultear and for a second and she considered breaking his grasp on her wrist for lying to her. The boy seemed to sense this and elaborated a bit more. "I can't control my magic energy. Sometimes it builds up too much and explodes." He answered; his explanation really was like that of a child.

Ultear couldn't believe it. That was almost exactly the same as her problem. The difference being than when this boy's power overloads it erupts outwards of his body whilst when her power overloads it implodes on herself trying to tear her body apart.

"You're the same as me!" Ultear yelled almost comfortingly. "I do the same thing!" As she yelled that the tears began to fall from her eyes, the joy of finding someone else like her. She saw the pink haired boy smile a warm smile at her as if he was feeling the same thing.

They kept running until they came to a cliff that they didn't see coming until the last second because of the tree's and the blizzard that was quickly picking up. They stopped running just in time and stopped just before the fell over the cliff top.

They spun around only to find the villagers cornering them.

"Dad please!" The pink haired boy yelled as the tears in his eyes fell freely now. The realisation that the fat man with the pink hair was the boy's father shocked Ultear to her core. "I didn't mean to!"

"Shut up Natsu!" The fat man yelled, raising his pitchfork and pointing it towards the pink haired boy now identified as Natsu. "You're a monster! And monster's get killed!" He screamed at his own son with almost no hint of remorse.

"You're the monster!" Ultear cried back at the hideous excuse of a father.

The fat man sneered at the black haired girl. "If you side with monsters then you share their fate you little bitch!" He yelled before he and the other villagers started moving towards the two cornered five year olds.

"**Jump! I will catch you!"** A voice bellowed throughout the sky. The voice shocked everyone in the area.

It was deep and struck fear into the hearts of everyone. But the two children found it almost comforting in a weird way. The two children looked out over the edge of the cliff but all they could see was the inky blackness of the void. They both gulped.

"It might be better than being stabbed with a pitchfork…" Natsu whispered to Ultear, Natsu was no longer holding her wrist but her hand instead. Both of them were gripping the others hands as if for support. "A fun ride before the end?" He said as if a question as he turned to the teary eyes of the girl he had accidentally dragged into his mess. "I'm so sorry…"

"**Jump!"** The voice from before yelled. The two children screamed as they leapt of the cliff to the void bellow.

"Good riddance." Natsu's father grunted as he walked towards the cliff to see if his son had met his demise, he couldn't deny that Natsu was a 'Crafty little shit' as he so often put it.

As he reached the edge of the cliff he pissed himself as a large crimson red behemoth flew past him, heading straight up out of the cliff before turning to glide. Natsu and Ultear were clearly visible to the townsfolk as they clung to the giant reptilian beast for dear life.

The dragon they were riding swept past the townsfolk meaning for it to be the last pass, he was issuing an unspoken threat but something else happened; something Ultear never expected.

"ULTEAR!" A shrill high pitch scream called out. It carried an almost tangible feeling of remorse yet relief at the same time.

Ultear turned to see her mother standing at the cliff side with the two boys she had seen with her earlier. They looked on in awe of the giant creature as Ur placed her hands in front of her face and cried in joy at seeing her baby girl who she thought dead.

The hatred in Ultear's heart cracked and broke away no longer hindering the poor girl's soul. "MUMMY!" She shouted longingly through her sobs.

No one could see it but the great red dragon couldn't help but roll his eyes before he swept down low and grabbed the woman he now knew as the girl's mother, he also grabbed the two very underdressed boys that were with her as he took flight heading towards the snow covered mountains that lay on the horizon.

**FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT**

It took about twenty minutes for the great red dragon to fly to the mountains. He landed promptly after reaching a clearing close to the summit of the larger mountain.

As soon as he landed her released the three people from his talons and lowered his body so that the two passengers on his back could get off.

Ultear never made it the ground. As soon as her body had left the dragons back she was caught and engulfed in her mother's arms. They were as warm and as welcoming as she always dreamed they would be.

"Ultear!" Ur yelled as she gripped her daughter close to her body, scared that she could disappear again at any second. She wept onto her daughter's body, both of the girls in the embrace shuddered as their bodies were rocks by their sobs. "Thank you." Ur whispered as she faced the dragon.

The dragon bowed its massive head slightly in response. **"My name is Igneel." **The mighty dragon informed in his deep bold voice. **"I have been searching for you young one." **Igneel stated as he turned his head to face Natsu who still looked shell shocked after the events of the day.

Ultear spent about half an hour telling everyone her story, leaving out the bit about her running away from her mother, after her Ur had explained that she didn't adopt the boys as her sons but took them in as her students.

"What about you?" Ur asked the pink haired boy. "Ultear said you have the same problem she does?"

Natsu nodded. "Ever since I was born my powers have been overloading and then destroying everything around me." Natsu informed in his weak and depression filled voice. "This time when I exploded I ruined a festival that means a lot to the village…" Natsu began to tear up as his voice became hoarse. "I didn't mean to! I never mean to!" He cried.

Ur and Ultear moved in sync as they moth held the poor boy in their arms as he wept.

"Was that man really your father?" Ultear asked nervously. This shocked the other members of their group as they had not realised that his own father was one of the ones trying to kill him. Natsu nodded which broke their hearts.

The group was silent for a bit before Ur turned to the mighty dragon beside them who also looked upset at the boys' story. "You said you were looking for Natsu? Why?" Ur inquired respectfully.

Igneel raised his head to look at Ur**. "I sensed his massive amounts of magical energy as well as his depression, distress and pain."** Igneel informed his audience of five. **"I am in need of a student and feel that Natsu would be perfect for the role and it would give him the escape he so sorely needed."**

"A student for what?" Natsu asked sniffling, his interest was piqued which meant he wasn't focusing on the previous few hours.

"**For a type of magic that only I can teach." **Igneel answered almost warmly. **"A type of magic called 'Fire Dragon Slayer Magic'."**

Natsu seemed to light up at the thought. "You'd really teach me?" He cheered in happiness.

Behind Ur a young black haired boy snickered at Natsu's childishness, he thought Natsu was a dork but Natsu was trying to avoid him seeing as how he was basically naked.

Igneel nodded which increased Natsu's good mood. Ultear smiled at this, she was finding herself drawn to the young boy whether it was because he saved her or what she wasn't sure.

"Hold on a second!" Ur commanded as she stood up out of the snow. "Before you go teaching him anything these two desperately need some food and clothes." Ur informed like an order.

If dragons could sweat drop then Igneel would have, she obviously didn't realise that she and the other two boys that were with her were in nothing but their underwear.

"Mum… you're pretty much naked…" Ultear informed her mother shyly.

Ur looked down at herself to see that she was indeed only in a pair of revealing black lingerie. "Oh my…" She commented.

Igneel chuckled. **"I shall fly you back to your home."** Igneel offered kindly.

Ur shook her head. "We can't really go back, those villagers will just show up again and I don't really want a reputation of beating up the weak." Ur responded.

Igneel was impressed with her confidence and he could also tell that she had the power to back up her words. It had been a long time since the great dragon had seen a human that impressed him.

"**Then what is your plan?"** Igneel inquired.

Ur looked around the clearing they were in. "Is this where you'll be teaching Natsu?" Ur asked. Igneel nodded in affirmation. Ur smiled almost wickedly. "How do you feel about having neighbours?"

Igneel laughed heartily. Ultear smiled, she wanted to stay around Natsu even if she had just met him.

Igneel agreed with the suggestion thinking it would be nice for Natsu to have some human friends around. He also couldn't deny that he found Ur's company intriguing.

"Great!" Ur cheered happily.

"Teacher, where are we gonna sleep?" The black haired boy asked. His name was Gray and the boy with him was Lyon.

Ur looked around. "I guess we'll have to build a house somehow?" She answered.

"I could build it for you." The group looked at Natsu quizzically. "My dad's job was to build houses but he just used to make me do it when he got too drunk."

Ur scowled at the comment, how could someone treat their child like that. Even the other two boys felt a bit heavy hearted at the confession.

"It's ok Natsu; we're not going to make you do anything like that ok?" Ur replied sweetly like only a mother can. Ultear's heart swelled at the sound of her voice as she had missed it so much.

"But I enjoy it." Natsu replied cheerfully. "It was the only time I could get away from him so now I really like building stuff and I'm good at it."

Ur couldn't turn down his cheery expression and eventually relented.

"**Before we begin there is something I want to give you Natsu, please follow me." **Igneel said as he led the young boy away from the others.

They returned a few minutes later and everyone couldn't help but notice Natsu looked different. His pupils were no longer circular but now held a more oval like shape almost reptilian like. His canine fangs were also a lot longer and sharper. He also wasn't shivering anymore.

"What did you do?" Ultear asked curiously as she stepped towards him. She felt a sense of warmth wash over her as she came up besides Natsu which made her blush. Her blush did not go unnoticed by her very outgoing mother.

"**I gave him a piece of my soul."** Igneel answered. **"It gives him the ability to use my dragon slayer magic as well as several other traits such as immunity to fire and the ability to eat it to regain strength or wear off fatigue. It also allows him to regulate his own body temperature which I thought would benefit him greatly in these weather conditions." **

"So coooool…" Ultear breathed in awe. "Can you make yourself warmer please?" Ultear asked shyly.

"I can try." Natsu replied unsurely. His body temperature rose to the point where he was like a heater. Natsu blushed as he felt Ultear subconsciously snuggle into his side to keep warm. In their defence they're both practically wearing nothing.

Ur and Igneel shared a knowing look between each other as they looked upon the two snuggling children.

**FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT**

Years passed by quickly. Natsu's ability to learn the dragon slayer magic so quickly was impressive to everyone, even Igneel was surprised. Igneel even adopted Natsu as his own son and raised him as such.

Ultear returned to her ice magic training with her mother and progressed equally as well as Natsu had, they were equals in strength, speed and power and they were happy with that.

Natsu had built the shack that he, Ultear, Ur, Gray and Lyon were living in in one night after everyone had gone to sleep. He was still upset about the incident with the villagers and he found building always made him feel better so he worked throughout the night to finish it.

When the others awoke that morning they were shocked at the building that stood before them. It had four bedrooms and even had a working bathroom. It even had a mail box, Natsu said a house can never be a home unless it has a mail box outside with your names on it; he had even built a mail box for the cave where Igneel was sleeping which was right beside the shack.

Ur was standing outside the shack Natsu had built for them staring at the sky with an almost sad look on her beautiful features. She heard the front door of the shack open and watched as the four ten year old children came out sleepily. Natsu and Ultear were the only ones wearing any clothes at that point. Natsu sometimes would try and make Ultear angry because that was the only time where she would unconsciously strip down to her undergarments and he liked it when she did.

"Hey mum." Ultear greeted as she moved next to her mother. "Is something wrong?" She asked after seeing the look in her mother's eyes.

Ur turned to face Natsu who had a look on his face as if he already knew what had happened.

"Igneel had to leave this morning." Ur stated to the children, she saw Natsu's face drop and Ultear appear next to him almost instantly.

"For how long?" Gray asked.

Ur shook her head. "He's not coming back." She said. Grey, Lyon and Ultear all looked towards the downtrodden face of the fire dragon slayer. Ur continued to speak. "Natsu, before he left he told me about a book that he wants you to find." Natsu's attention snapped back to Ur almost immediately. "He said it's a novel called 'Trial by Fire' and it's a book that he wrote when he was younger. He said it's very rare and it would take you a very long time to find it but in it would be the remainder of your training."

Natsu grinned. "Sweet! Sounds cool!"

Ur and Ultear smiled at the young boy and Ultear even giggled a little at her best friend.

"What do you plan on doing now?" Ur asked the young boy.

Natsu looked down in deep thought as he mulled over his options. He looked back at Ur before he replied. "You once told us about those things called 'guilds' in Fiore." Natsu answered.

Ur smiled. "I told you about a guild called 'Fairy Tail'." She clarified. "Where members are all treated as one big family."

"Yeah." Natsu agreed. "I think I'm going to go there." He said with a smile.

Ultear frowned and felt her heart sink. "You're leaving me? I mean us." She quickly tried to correct herself but the blush on her face betrayed her.

Natsu blushed just as hard before looking down and mumbling something. No one understood what he said so Ultear asked him to repeat it. Natsu sighed and said. "I don't want leave you."

"Hmmm a guild huh?" Ur asked casually. "That could actually be fun. What do you think?"

"Sure why not?" Gray answered with his usual casual shrug.

"Someone has to keep pinkie out of trouble." Ultear said happily, subconsciously creeping closer to Natsu's warmth as it was an extra cold morning.

"Shut it old man!" Natsu retorted equally cheerful. It was his favourite insult after Ultear had learnt transformation magic and he had caught her in the nearest town posing as old man to sneak into a bar just to see what all the fuss was about.

Lyon was quiet for a while before he spoke. "Teacher, would you be upset if I joined a different guild to all of you?" He asked unsurely. When Ur didn't respond he continued. "It's just that I want to surpass you one day and to do that I think I need to be with other people for the time being."

Ur smiled warmly at him. "It is completely your decision Lyon; we'll travel together to Fiore and once we're there you can make up your mind."

"Oh yeah I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted, Ultear and Ur could both tell he was faking part of his exuberance because he was obviously sad that his foster father was gone now.

"All right hooligans, let's get packed and head out!" Ur commanded.

**FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT**

"Woah…" Natsu breathed in awe as he, Ultear, Ur and Gray were now standing in front the Fairy Tail guild hall. "That is the coolest thing I've ever seen!" He shouted in amazement.

"You were raised by a dragon and yet this is the coolest thing you've ever seen?" Ultear asked jokingly to which Natsu just replied by poking his tongue out.

Natsu was wearing a red t-shirt and orange shorts along with his white scaly scarf. Ultear was in a dark purple tank top that revealed her developing bust and denim short shorts that displayed her creamy thighs. Gray was in a black shirt and blue trousers whilst Ur was in a white blouse and very short pencil skirt.

Neither Natsu or Ultear were wearing shoes, they never did… they hated them.

"Those flames have fried your brain dork." Gray commented offhandedly. Seconds later Natsu's forehead was butting against his and both were glaring at each other.

"You wanna start something blizzard balls?"

"I'll take you on any time Lizard breath!"

They both stopped after Ur gave each a quick smack round the ears. "Enough you two, let's go." She ordered as the four of them moved towards the guild doors.

As they entered they saw the guild in utter shambles. People were fighting, drinking and yelling but all with smiles on their faces. Suddenly the guild went quiet as the members stared in awe at the four people at the door. All the men in the guild were bleeding from their noses.

"MUM YOUR CLOTHES!" Ultear screamed in embarrassment. Ur looked down and indeed she had somehow stripped down to her underwear which was extremely transparent and revealing.

Seconds later she was clothed again with a sheepish grin. "Is your master here?" Ur cried out.

Ur stopped when she felt a small hand groping her ass. She turned down to see a small yet very old man was the culprit. "I'd know that ass anywhere, Ur Milkovich it's a pleasure."

Ur smiled at the old man. "Makarov? I didn't know you were in Fairy Tail?" Ur asked, not even trying to stop him from feeling her up.

Makarov chuckled. "I'm the guild master." He said happily.

"That perv is the master?" Natsu asked confusedly.

"Why isn't my mum stopping him?" Ultear cried incredulously.

Makarov finally did stop feeling her up and led them inside the guild where he jumped up onto the bar counter. All eyes in the guild were on them.

"So what can I do for ya?" Makarov asked kindly.

"Me and my band of hooligans would like to join Fairy Tail." Ur responded confidently.

Makarov smirked. "Someone as powerful as you would a great addition to our ranks." Makarov informed. "And we never turn a mage away so of course you may all join."

"Sweet!" Natsu cheered, pumping his fist in the air excitedly.

Makarov smiled at the boys enthusiasm. "Are they all your kids?" Makarov asked Ur.

Ur gestured to her right where her daughter was. "This is Ultear, she is my daughter and a very strong Ice Make wizard." Ur said before gesturing to her left where Gray was. "This is Gray Fullbuster, he is not my son but is my student and also uses Ice Make magic." She then gestured to Natsu. "That is Natsu Dragneel, he has lived with us for the last five years as well as his father. He is the Fire Dragon Slayer."

Makarov couldn't help but to spit out his beer at the last one. Many people in the guild started whispering about how they'd never heard that kind of magic before.

"But he is so young." Makarov commented in awe. "Does that mean the when Ur mentioned your father she meant…"

Natsu grinned. "Yep! My father was Igneel the Fire Dragon!"

Some members of the guild snickered at the boys idiocy commenting on how dragons didn't exist.

"An actual dragon slayer raised by a dragon…" Makarov stated in awe.

"Master you don't actually believe him do you?" A white haired goth girl asked.

Makarov shot her a look to tell her to keep her mouth shut. "Well then, welcome to Fairy Tail!" Makarov cheered for the four new members.

**FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT**

"Where's the new kid?" The white haired goth known as Mirajane asked her younger sister Lisanna.

"Which one?" Lisanna asked in response.

"The one with the weird pink hair."

Lisanna frowned at her. "His name is Natsu, and I think he just left with Ultear."

Mira cocked an eyebrow. "Who's Ultear."

Lisanna sighed. "The new girl…"

"Right well we need to go find them!" Mira shouted in sadistic glee. "I wanna fight him!"

"OH please you couldn't fight a squirrel and win." A red head in armour teased Mira.

"What was that fire crotch?" Mira asked butting heads with the red head much like Natsu and Gray did earlier.

"You heard me slut!"

"I'll wipe the floor with your ass creepy little tin can! Right after I beat the new kid!"

"Not if I beat him first!" The red head shouted in response before dashing out of the guild with Mira in toe.

"Is the guild always this lively?" Ur asked the master.

"Without fail!" He cheered drunkenly.

**FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT**

"There they are!"

"Beat it Erza I'm fighting him!" Mira shouted.

Natsu and Ultear turned around to see the two young girls from the guild barrelling down the street towards them.

They stopped inches before collision, they both pointed at Natsu. "I want to fight you!" They both declared in unison.

Ultear frowned, she didn't know why but her gut didn't like the attention these two were giving her best friend.

"Me first!" Mira growled at Erza.

"No, me first!" Erza snarled back.

"Calm down you two." Natsu said with a smile. "Me and Ultear always work as a team so if you want a fight it has to be two on two." He stated confidently. "What do you say old man? Up for a fight?"

Ultear smirked at the two girls. "Sure pinkie, we can play with these two."

"Good!" Mira shouted with an evil grin on her face. "Meet us at the guild in one hour!"

After that Mira and Erza stomped their way back to the guild while firing insults at each other.

Ultear sighed. "So much for finding a house today…"

"I told you I could just build us one." Natsu replied as he and Ultear started strolling towards the guild again.

"I know you could Natsu." Ultear responded kindly. "But some of the houses here are beautiful! I really wanted to live in one." She exclaimed with a pout.

Natsu thought she looked really cute when she pouted. "Alright then, well once we've dealt with those two girls we'll keep looking." He said cheerfully.

**FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT FT**

"So you actually turned up?" Mirajane asked cockily. She was standing in front of the guild hall with her hands on her hip. Erza was beside her and a large crowd had gathered around them.

"These are two of my best wizards, are you sure they're ready?" Makarov asked Ur.

Ur smirked. "On their own maybe not but not even I like to fight them when they work together."

Makarov nodded, accepting the answer as good enough. After he noticed that Ultear and Natsu were in their starting position he commenced the match.

Mira was quick to change into her Satan Soul form whilst Erza requipped to long swords.

"**Evil Spark!" **Mira shouted as she lunged at Natsu with her hand covered in black lightning. Erza was beside her charging at him with her swords levelled at him.

Natsu waited. He kept waiting until they were right in front him before he smirked. Suddenly the two girls were frozen solid, their faces a picture of shock.

"You're all gonna wanna stand back now." Ultear informed as she moved away from Natsu and the two frozen statues of their opponents whom she had just entrapped in her ice.

"Do you know what happens when you superheat ice?" Ur asked the master cockily.

Makarov smirked. "It explodes."

"**Fire Dragons Roar!" **Natsu shouted before he used his most devastating attack. The stream of fire shot towards his opponents and struck their icy confines and just like the master had predicted a huge explosion followed blasting the two girls in opposite direction. Out cold and out of the fight.

The guild looked on in awe; two of their strongest members were just beaten by the two newcomers in less than a minute.

Natsu smiled brightly at Ultear who returned his smile with a cheeky grin.

"It's going to be fun having those two around." Makarov said to himself. Ur heard him and couldn't help but smile at how her daughter and her best friend could leave such an impact so quickly.


End file.
